BONTOC, Mountain Province – The Mountain Province Provincial Health Office (PHO), in partnership with the local health office and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, organized a Universal Health Care (UHC) caravan that toured different municipalities in the province.
The caravan aimed to re-orient local chief executives, health workers, and local finance committees on the UHC Law and its implementation strategies, conduct health education and promotion, PhilHealth registration, and Konsulta First Patient Encounter.
With the theme “From coverage to care: UHC for every life in all communities of Mountain Province,” the caravan was conducted in the capital town on April 19 and was attended by the punong barangays, chairpersons of the council committee on health, barangay health workers, and barangay midwives of the 16 barangays, as well as sangguniang bayan members.
Gov. Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Jr. said the UHC team has been going around the different municipalities to highlight the importance of ensuring access to quality healthcare services for every individual in the community as provided under Republic Act 11223 or the UHC Act.
The UHC seeks to bring health services closer to the people, and is implemented gradually, so it is important for the people to understand the concept and benefits.
He encouraged the participants to ask questions regarding UHC and share what they had learned during the caravan.
“Saludsuden tayu tatta nu kasanu, nu anya ti makuna, kasanu tayu agrugi panggep ditoy UHC. Nu anya man maawatan tayu, nu agawid tayu ket i-share tayu,” the governor said.
The governor assured the provincial government’s support to the implementation of the UHC in the province.
“The UHC caravan is an avenue to fully explain to our partners at the barangay level about this program since they are the ones who will help us relay the information to the people in their respective villages,” said Bontoc Mayor Jerome Tudlong, Jr.
Dr. Carol D. Yawan of the PHO discussed the UHC and shared inputs on how it is being implemented by the pro-vince.
PhilHealth personnel also discussed the agency’s roles in the UHC implementation, as well as PhilHealth registration, membership, benefits, contributions and claims, and the Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama or Konsulta package.
The Bontoc Municipal Health Office also facilitated blood pressure taking and body mass index assessment.
The UHC caravan kicked off in Paracelis on March 12 and ended in Sadanga on April 30. – Valerie Jane Taguba
